Coronavirus stops China-bound athletes

Six Bangladeshi athletes yesterday stopped their preparation for the upcoming Asian Indoor Championships after hosts China cancelled the February meet following due to the threat of Coronavirus, which had already claimed scores of lives in China.

The Asian Indoor Championships were scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, some 600 kilometres from the Wuhan -- the epicentre of the virus -- from February 12 to 13. The six Bangladeshi athletes were chosen on the basis of their performance in the recently-concluded National Athletics Championships.

“China sent us an e-mail mentioning that the championships have been cancelled. China is badly hit by Coronavirus and we believe the hosts took the right decision in such a situation,” Bangladesh Athletics Federation’s general secretary Abdur Rokib Montu said.

Sprinters Hasan Mia and Ismail Hossain, high-jumper Mahfuzur Rahman, long-jumper Al-Amin, runners Zahir Rayhan and Al-Amin were supposed to take part in the meet.

Montu, meanwhile, informed that two athletes -- MN Zaman and Mohammad Razu Ahmed -- will take part in 20km walking competition which will be held in Jharkhand, India from February 14 to 16.